


it wasn't supposed to happen this way

by Morwen (MorrPhyc)



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Angst; Humor; Futurefic;, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-01-13
Updated: 2010-01-13
Packaged: 2017-10-06 06:18:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,062
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/50617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorrPhyc/pseuds/Morwen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is one of my many Buffy fics. Its a gen fic but Buffy/Giles centric. Very angsty and has a major character death. Buffy remembers and meets Giles' father.</p>
            </blockquote>





	it wasn't supposed to happen this way

_26th August 2002_

Buffy watched as person after person filed down the escalators into the baggage claim area and still saw no sign of the man she’d come to meet. Her stomach was churning and she didn’t know how much longer she could stand there and wait without being ill. Needing a distraction, she glanced again at the worn photo in her hand. Familiar, yet different, green eyes looked back at her from a face that was the source for the one she’d have known blindfolded. It hurt her heart to see those eyes now, knowing she’d never again see the ones she knew light with humour or shine with pride or cloud with disappointment. She closed her eyes tight at the memory and took a steadying breath before she gave the photo one last look and resumed her vigil.

Almost instantly, she saw him. The resemblance was so strong she almost sank to the floor. Only this man was older, probably in his mid sixties. Buffy’s eyes misted over as she realised this is how he would have looked one day, more lines etched into a graceful, elegant countenance. Only she never expected to see him at that age; it wasn’t supposed to happen this way. Not this way.

She propelled herself forward, the need to finish this overwhelming her. She walked directly up to him and knew the instant he recognised her. “Dr. Latimer Giles?” Buffy was amazed her voice sounded so steady as her insides were spinning.

He regarded her with sad, yet warm eyes. “Yes. And you must be Ms. Summers, correct?”

Buffy nodded and clenched her fists, almost biting her tongue to keep from screaming. Even his voice sounded the same. Why did it have to hurt so much? She forced a smile. “Yes, sir, that’d be me. We can get your things and be outta here in a few.” Buffy hesitated for a minute before adding hesitantly, “I’m sorry to be meeting you this way. I mean, I wish it weren’t for this reason.”

His eyes grew sadder and he seemed to age before her very eyes. “Yes,” his clipped British voice spoke barely above a whisper, “I never expected this. It was not supposed to be this way. I wasn’t to … I never—” He broke off abruptly, turning away as his eyes filled.

Buffy felt tears gather in her own eyes yet again as she replied softly, “I know. I wasn’t supposed to outlive him either.” Green eyes met hazel as a moment of shared anguish and loss created a sudden kinship that was almost tangible.

The crowd around them grew thicker as the luggage carousel creaked to life and began spewing luggage out of the chute. Buffy blinked back the moisture and pointed to the luggage riding the carousel. “Um, do you see yours yet?”

He redirected his attention and shook his head only to see the large bag a second later. “Yes, the large grey is mine.”

Before he could move, Buffy was already reaching for it, lifting it with ease. She smiled weakly. “One of the perks of the job. Super-strength.”

He nodded, thinking this young woman was remarkable in her own right. Strength or no.

“Um, my car is in the lot right across from the exit so its not too far.” Buffy looked at him quizzically as he shifted his carry-on from one hand to the other. “Would you like me to take that? I promise I can handle more than one.”

Dr. Giles smiled warmly, a smile so much like his son’s that Buffy thought her heart might shatter like cracked crystal. “No, my dear, I’m fine. Just tired. It was a rather long flight. One I shall be repeating on the morrow.”

Buffy bit her bottom lip nervously, but nodded and led him out to the car.

_20th June 2002_

“Buffy, I’ve told you I’m perfectly content to stay here.” Giles berated her for the millionth time. “Why do you persist in trying to insist I wish to return to England?”

The Slayer in question flopped down on the sofa, watching Giles pace on the other side of the training room. She couldn’t explain it no matter how hard she tried. It was true; things had been great since Giles had moved back. She felt more in control and had learned to never, ever again take the people that she loved for granted. And that included her Watcher. Still, she was unable to get past feeling as though she was doing just that by letting him stay. He’d had a life back in England. One he’d enjoyed. And, shock of shocks, he had family there. Well, a father. One she heard about for the first time after Giles had decided to remain in Sunnydale. Buffy smiled warmly at the memory.

_18th April 2002_

“Damn, G-Man, whatcha got in these boxes?” Xander griped as he lifted yet another one out of the moving van. “Weights?”

Giles wiped his forearm across a sweaty forehead and quipped, “Yes, Xander, I couldn’t think of thing to pack so I simply filled box after box with raw tonnage just for your inconvenience.”

Xander shot him an annoyed glance as Buffy, Willow and Dawn broke out in various stages of laughter. Willow patted his shoulder. “That’s the last box, Xan.”

“Thank God,” he muttered as he flopped down on front steps. Buffy and Dawn walked passed him bringing in various items and he watched as Giles closed the doors to the van before he too gave out and joined Xander on the steps. Xander grinned. “Movin’s hard work, huh?”

Giles only snorted in response as Willow sat next to him with a tired groan and flopped back on the porch. “Yeah,” she agreed. She squinted, sitting back up suddenly, watching Giles intently. “You aren’t gonna do it again, are you?”

The Watcher turned startled eyes to her. “I’m sorry, do what again?”

Willow’s expression was earnest. “Move. You’re done moving, right? I mean, this is a nice house and everything and … well, you’re staying … here, right?”

Giles smiled warmly at the befuddled way in which she’d asked the question they all seemed to be avoiding asking him. Before he could answer, he heard shuffling feet and saw Buffy and Dawn standing behind him. He was surrounded and it felt wonderful. He kept his eyes on his Slayer as he answered Willow’s question. “No, I’m not going to do it again.”

Xander stood up, grinning. “That’s great, Giles. And I gotta run. Anya’s closing up and I need to go pick her up.” He only took a few steps before turning back. “Hey, Giles. Welcome home.” And spun back to get in his car before Giles could find it in himself to speak.

Willow gave him a short hug. “That goes for me too: the welcome part and the leaving part. Gotta go meet Tara. We’re taking Dawn to the carnival tonight.”

Giles managed a nod this time as Dawn gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ran after Willow, leaving a very amused Buffy and a speechless Giles.

Buffy walked down two steps and sat down next to Giles. “I gotta say, if I’d known it was that easy to render you speechless, Giles, I’d have had them all hug you ages ago.” He shot her a dark look in return but she only laughed as she got to her feet, pulling him up with her. “Come on, Watcherman, we have tons of stuff to unpack in there.”

~~~~~~~~~~

Together, they had managed to unpack half of the boxes before Giles called for a break and went into the kitchen to get them something to drink. Buffy stretched cramped muscles and flopped down on the floor in front of the couch, pulling a small box out of a larger one. She opened it and several photos and trinkets fell to the floor.

“Dammit.” She rolled her eyes at her carelessness and hastily began picking up the items, putting them back in the small box.

“What’s wrong, Buffy?” Giles sat on the couch near her and handed her a bottle of cold water. She scrunched up her face as she took the bottle and drank.

“Thanks, I needed that.” Then she regarded the mess she’d made. “Oh, I just dropped a box.”

Giles’ brows drew together as he peered into the small box. A small smile touched his lips as he reached out and picked up large brass button from the box.

He stared at it warmly, almost reverently and Buffy couldn’t contain her curiosity any longer. She grasped his free hand.

“Hey, wanna tell me what’s so special about a button that you’re giving it your undivided attention?” When he didn’t respond, Buffy released his hand, suddenly unsure of herself. “I didn’t mean to pry, honest. You don’t have to, really.” She set the box down on the couch next to Giles but before she could get up, his hand closed around her upper arm.

“Buffy,” he chided, “you can always ask me anything. I was just … lost in the memory. This was from a coat my father used to wear.”

His hand slipped from Buffy’s arm as he sank back into the cushions of the sofa, turning the button over in his fingers. Buffy raised up off the floor to sit next to him on the sofa. She ran her fingers over the surface of the button as Giles turned it over again and again. “Why keep a button?” She froze as a thought occurred to her. “Giles, he’s not … I mean, I never even asked you about your family before but of course you have one. Are your parents, I mean …?” She couldn’t ask, no matter how hard she tried. As it turned out, she didn’t need to.

Giles shook his head. “It’s alright, Buffy. My mother died when I was five but my father is still very much alive.”

Buffy’s heart clenched. “I’m so sorry, Giles.” And she meant it. She knew what it was like to lose a mother. At least she’d had her mother for many, many too short years.

His eyes warmed as he spoke. “It was a long time ago. But thank you.”

She took another sip of water and pointed at the button still in his hand. “So, what’s the story?”

He smiled wryly. “It’s fairly prosaic I’m afraid.” Buffy just shot him a ‘you better tell me look’ and he continued. “After Mum died, it was just Father and I. His work kept him very busy but what time he could make for me, he made special. We would do things, walking in the woods, playing games, talking about silly things that appealed to a young boy.” He grasped the button in a fist as Buffy smiled at the warmth this memory seemed to bring her Watcher. His eyes grew distant. “But mostly, we went fishing. He taught me when I was seven. We went several times to the pond we had on the grounds but for weeks I never caught anything.” He grinned. “I began to think something was horribly wrong with me. Anyone should be able to catch a fish.”

Buffy laughed. “Well, what happened?”

“Being a petulant seven year old, I said I would never go fishing again. There was no point. But Father wasn’t going to let me just give up. So he hauled me out of a warm bed one cold morning and we bundled up, he in the very coat this button once adorned, and off we went. Much to my amazement, I felt a nibble on my line. I was so excited.” Giles shook his head at the giddiness of the memory. “Father put his arms around me and showed me how to reel it in gently, so as not to lose my prize and after what felt like hours to my young mind, a gleaming fish broke the water, thrashing about, firmly hooked on my line.”

Buffy clapped as her eyes danced with repressed mirth. “Way to go, Giles. I knew you had it in you.”

Giles gave her a withering look. “Oh, funny.”

Buffy patted his shoulder. “Oh, come on, I wanna hear how the button figures into that.”

He shook his head. “Alright, but any more interruptions and I shall thrash you.”

Buffy rolled her eyes and snorted. “Yeah, right.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at her blatantly disbelieving expression. “Yes, well, the button. After Father made a production of unhooking the fish and placing it in the basket, he said we should mark the occasion. It was a major event after all. He looked around for several moments and I remember wondering what he was looking for before he brushed his hand over his coat and ripped off the top button. He handed it to me with flourish and said he was awarding me with the Accord of the Golden Sea Urchin, for the finest catch seen by anyone in many years of seeking the perfect fish.” He gave Buffy a sheepish look. “I know it sounds ridiculously juvenile now, but it meant a great deal to me then.”

Buffy blinked rapidly as her eyes moistened. “It’s not one bit silly. I think that’s one of the nicest things I’ve ever heard.”

And when he smiled at her that time, she knew she’d just crossed from Slayer to friend.

_20th June 2002_

A gentle but large hand squeezed her arm, bringing her out of her memories. She gave him a guilty look. “Sorry, Giles, just lost in thought.”

The corners of his mouth curled up. “So I see,” he replied dryly. “Just where were you?”

Buffy shrugged, uncomfortable with telling him what she was remembering but not knowing why. So she hedged a bit. “Just thinking about my worthless Dad. And then that got me thinking about your Dad. And what a great one he was for you.”

He sat on the sofa next to her, a look of comprehension coloured his face. “Is that what this is all about? The call from my father? Is that why you’re persisting with the England idea?”

The Slayer flushed, mentally scowling at herself for being so transparent. However, she didn’t speak, only nodded her head slowly.

Her Watcher sighed sadly. “Oh, Buffy. Why do you do this to yourself?”

He gently tilted her chin upward, forcing her to look at him. “I am only going for a week, possibly two.” His brows drew together in concern. “It’s not like you to be so reticent with me these days. Normally I can’t get you to leave me alone.” The humour and affection in his eyes took the sting out of the words and Buffy smiled in response.

“I know.” She twisted her hands as her worries tumbled out. “It’s just that, I know you want to do this, like, all the time. And your Dad is getting older and won’t be heading many more digs and you’ve missed so many already and you’re a trained archaeologist just like him, which I didn’t know about before, and this dig is in Cairo and it’ll last longer than a couple of weeks and why should you have to leave just when you guys find the mummy or whatever, to come back here and read books from the demon of the month club and—”

Two fingers pressed firmly against her lips to silence her. She so exasperated him sometimes that he didn’t know whether to hug her or throttle her. “Will you be quiet long enough for me to get a word in?”

Buffy pulled away from his touch and shrugged irritably.

His chest shook with silent laughter. “Buffy, I choose to stay here. Before, with the Council, and immediately after, I felt I had no choice. I had to stay. And no, I don’t regret it. I would do it again. Being your Watcher has meaning to me.”

Buffy gave him an uncertain look. “Giles, when … when Willow brought me back … nothing made sense. And then you came back and it did.” She shifted, facing him directly, her expression deadly serious. “I just want you to have a choice. I know you just said you chose to stay, but that’s different. I mean I wanted you to have a choice of life, not just being away from the Council. Your Dad misses you and you miss him. I can see that now. And since Mom’s been gone, I know how important it is to take every moment you have with those you love. I just don’t want you looking back wondering why you didn’t spend more time with him and I don’t want you losing that for me.”

Giles swallowed thickly, utterly at a loss for words. Buffy never ceased to surprise and confound him, even after all this time. “Thank you,” he whispered softly. It was all he could manage to say and they simply sat there, letting the ensuing silence strengthen their warmth and regard for each other, the sense of family between them growing stronger yet again.

_26th August 2002_

Buffy pulled into the drive-way without even realising how she got there and, as she stopped the engine, her eyes widened and she felt heat colour her cheeks. The entire hour it took to get here, she’d not said one word, much less acknowledged the presence of, the man in the passenger seat.

“Oh, God. I am so sorry Mr. – I mean Dr. Giles. I just got … I was remembering …” she shook her head sharply, “… I mean thinking. Giles would be so pissed at me for being so rude.”

She closed her eyes tight and knocked her head back against the headrest, totally humiliated now but to her surprise she heard the sound of laughter. She cracked one eye open and peered at her passenger warily. However, when he reached out a hand and patted her shoulder gently, she couldn’t help laughing herself.

“It’s quite alright, Ms. Summers. I understand. No need to explain.” He glanced out the window of the Jeep. “Might I enquire where we are?” He trailed off, the finality of where they were to be sinking in deeper.

Buffy opened her door but made no move to get out. “The gang wanted to meet you. They’ll all be at the service tomorrow but well they wanted to meet you away from there and well, we thought you might want to see—” She stopped and pointed at the cottage-style home. “This was his. Where he lived. You never had the chance to see it and we just thought…” She shrugged as her eyes gazed at the place that had been her second home.

His eyes followed hers as he took a steadying breath. “My solicitor is seeing about the sale but yes, I would very much like to see it.” Buffy let out the breath she didn’t realise she’d been holding and hopped out of the Jeep, walked around and looped her arm through his as he got out of the car. He gave her a sardonic look. “I’m not so old and feeble that I’ll trip on my way to the steps, Ms. Summers.”

It sounded so much like something Giles would say that Buffy wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. “Just humour me and we’ll get along fine.” She patted his arm commiseratingly, unable to explain the closeness she felt to the man. He gave her a startled look but nodded, somehow understanding what she meant. As they walked up the path to the steps she added, “And call me Buffy, okay?”

He nodded. “If you would like, you may call me Latimer.”

Buffy barked out a laugh. “No, sir. No way could I do that. I only even called Giles, Giles. And you’re his dad. And I can’t call you that because that was him.” She smiled sadly. “There’ll only ever be one Giles,” she said absently.

_18th July 2002_

“Giles, will you come on!” Buffy checked her watch again. “You’ll be late and he only has a four hour layover in L.A. and he’ll have to spend at least two hours in security to get in and out of the concourse levels.”

The man in question came quickly down the hall, taking his car keys out of Buffy’s outstretched hand. “I have plenty of time.”

They walked out of the house together and Buffy gave him a peck on the cheek. “Enjoy your visit with your dad. Though I don’t get why he doesn’t ever come here to visit unless it’s something like this.”

Giles shrugged as he unlocked his car door. “He’s a creature of habit. He has his lines and runs on them. The only trips he takes are when he is lecturing, going to investigate a possible site or for a dig. Change is hard at his age.”

Buffy crinkled her nose. “Yeah, well it’s hard at your age too. You know how to get on a plane too, ya know. I mean, you went on that dig with him and from the sound of it, the two of you had fun up to your elbows in dirt and hieroglyphics.” Giles grinned at her description and she smacked him. “I just mean you don’t have to have a reason to go see him. You can do it just because, okay?”

His grin grew wider and he couldn’t resist needling her. “Yes, Mum.”

The reaction was all he’d hoped for as her eyes narrowed. “There is just no talking to you sometimes. I don’t know why I bother.” She gave him a pointed look. “Now leave.”

He gave her a quick hug, amazed yet again at her concern for him. Before he even thought about it, the words left his mouth. “Would you like to come with me? Meet my father? You’d be most welcome.”

Buffy’s look instantly changed to one of genuine affection as she hugged him tightly before stepping back. “No, you go. I have that meeting with Dawn’s teachers tonight, remember? Thanks for asking, though.”

He nodded as he got in his car. “Next time?”

She nodded as she closed his door. “Count on it. See ya tomorrow.”

_26th August 2002_

Only next time never came. She sighed as she watched Giles’ dad all but smothered by the gang. Oh, how they all missed Giles. She leaned against the wall as she listened to Xander tell him about Giles’ prowess with decapitating vamps with a sword. Willow and Tara were plying him with plates of food and pots of tea. And Anya hung onto Xander, mute for once. The older man’s eyes met hers and she could see he was overwhelmed by the warmth and affection being lavished on him. Testimony to just how much his son meant to the people in this room.

Still, Buffy could see that it was becoming too much for him and she pushed off the wall and sank down behind Dawn, wrapping her arms around her little sister. “Guys, what say we give him a break? He’s had a long flight and has been listening to all of us ramble for several hours now.”

Latimer’s eyes lit with gratitude. “Thank you, I am rather tired.”

Buffy gave Dawn a quick peck on the cheek and stood up. “Come on. You can catch a catnap for a while if you want. We still have lots of time before we have to … well … it’s tomorrow morning before we have to be there.”

A thick silence enveloped the room as they all remembered the reason for this gathering. Dr. Giles stood slowly, speaking thickly. “Yes, I think I would like to rest before that.”

Buffy led him down the hall to the bedrooms and paused in front of the last door. “Um, this is-was Giles’ room. Would you rather …?”

He shook his head and reached for the doorknob. “No. This will be fine.” Buffy just nodded and stood back as he opened the door. “Thank you, Buffy. I can see Rupert meant a great deal to all of you. It warms my heart to know that.”

Buffy’s breath hitched in her throat. “He meant more than you can ever know,” she whispered before smiling weakly and turning back down the hall, leaving him alone with his memories.

\-------------

Buffy walked back into the solemn quiet of the living room, her eyes searching for her sister and not finding her. She looked quizzically at her friends. “Where’s Dawn?”

Willow lifted her head from Tara’s shoulder and tilted her head toward the backdoor. “She’s in the backyard.” Buffy nodded absently as she walked to the partially opened door. She stood still, watching her sister pick dandelions.

Buffy sighed. Of all of them Dawn’s reaction had been the most unexpected.

_24th August 2002_

Buffy slammed into the ER with Dawn in tow skidding to a stop at the reception desk. “Please, Rupert Giles, I got a call … he was brought in. Where is he? Is he okay? I have to see him.”

The clerk smiled at the very distraught woman. “Rupert Giles? Let me check the records. Just a moment.”

Buffy felt her entire life rush through her during those impossibly long seconds while the clerk pulled up her records on the computer. “Are you Ms. Summers?”

Buffy nodded frantically. “Yes, please, just tell me he’s okay.”

The clerk smiled gently. “I’m sorry, I don’t have that information. All I can tell you is he was brought into the ER an hour ago and taken up to surgery forty minutes ago.”

Buffy scrubbed away the tears with the back of a badly shaking hand. She was almost frantic. “Yes, but why? What happened to him?”

“I’m sorry, Ms. Summers, I really don’t know. I’ll let the police know you’re here and they can give you that information.”

She swallowed thickly. _Oh God, no, please don’t let this be real, please don’t let this be real._

“You can go up to the surgical waiting room and I’ll have someone contact you there as soon as we have any information.”

She nodded mutely and turned to her sister. “Let’s go call the others first okay?”

Dawn just looked at her in shock and followed her sister to the phone.

_26th August 2002_

Buffy shivered and pulled herself back from the pain of that night. She pushed the door open slightly wider, but left Dawn alone, knowing it was what she needed for now. After Buffy had recovered herself that night, Dawn had become almost catatonic. She’d hardly spoken a word since it happened. It was just too much for her. First, their mother and then Giles. Dawn had simply shut down and Buffy had to force herself to give her the space she needed. With a sigh, she turned back to the living room. Willow and Xander were talking softly and Anya and Tara were nowhere to be seen. “Where’d Tara and Anya go?” She asked as she sank wearily down on the couch next to her friends.

Xander pulled her into a hug and she settled her head gratefully on his shoulder. “An had to see about the store. Not opening or anything, but a delivery was coming in and she had to go see about it.” Xander brushed her hair gently as he added, “And Willow asked Tara to go with her.”

That got Buffy’s attention and she lifted her head. “Why?”

Willow and Xander traded a quick glance before Willow answered. “Buffy, we wanted to ask you something.” She took a deep breath. “Well, we know Dr. Giles is selling this place. But we really want to be the ones to pack his things. We don’t want strangers going through Giles’ stuff.”

Buffy reached over and hugged her hard before doing the same to Xander and found herself crying again, amazed that she had tears left. “I don’t know what to say. I really wanted to do it that way, but I didn’t want to put you guys through that if … well … it’ll be hard to see so much of him and know I-we’ll never see him again.” Her shoulders shook as Xander and Willow both pulled her into an embrace. She couldn’t control her emotions and hot tears continued to spill over seemingly with no end. “I didn’t know I could miss anyone else this much,” she choked out. Xander wiped his eyes. “I know, Buff.” Willow just held on tighter as she too lost the battle with her tears.

_24th August 2002_

She had never been good at waiting and this was no exception. At least no one else was in the waiting room. Just herself and Dawn. The others were on the way.

“Ms. Summers?”

Buffy’s head snapped up only to see to police officers standing before her. She swallowed and nodded. “Y-yes. This is my sister, Dawn,” she said, indicating the form huddled next to her.

The officers nodded to her. “I’m Detective Williams and this is my partner: Detective Henderson.”

Buffy felt her heart hammering in her chest and could hardly speak around the pain. “What happened to him?”

Detective Williams sat down across from her. “I’m sorry ma’am but he was hit by a drunk driver.” _No no no no no no, not real, please not real, please not this way._

Buffy felt Dawn clutch her arm tight enough to be painful. As it was, she was having a hard time just trying to remember to breathe. Her mind was in a whirl.

She knew someone was talking to her because she heard words.

He was walking … witness’ statements … unconscious … partial plate number of driver … in custody now … breathalyser … well beyond limit …

A hand reached out and shook her gently and she looked up in confusion. Detective Williams was looking at her with genuine concern. “Can I call someone for you?”

It was Dawn who answered. “Um, we called them before coming up here.” Her sister’s reaction was scaring her enough to draw her out of her shock. “I’ll stay with her until they get here.” She was so frightened. “Giles, he’s,” she sniffled, “he’s family.”

The detective nodded and motioned to his partner but left his card with Dawn in case they had any questions later.

Almost the instant they walked out, a doctor in sweaty scrubs walked into the room. Dawn shook Buffy frantically saying her name over and over, not wanting to be the only one to hear.

It was enough to shake Buffy out of her fog and she roughly pulled Dawn’s hands off of her arm. “Stop it, Dawn,” she said more sharply than she meant to. At her sister’s hurt expression, Buffy added, “I’m sorry. It’s okay. Really.”

She steadied herself as the doctor walked up and crouched down in front of her.

“Ms. Summers, I’m Dr. Elias. I was the primary surgeon during Mr. Giles’ surgical procedure. He suffered massive blood loss as well as severe cranial fractures. We were unable to stop the bleeding; the internal damage was just too great. We used all of our abilities but were unable to save him. I’m sorry, Ms. Summers.”

Buffy looked at him blankly, her breaths getting harder and harder to take. “No. No. It’s not supposed to happen this way.” She staggered to her feet almost knocking the doctor down in her haste. Dawn sat stock still, tears flowing freely, shaking her head in denial.

The Slayer pressed her face to the cool wall but it didn’t help, she still couldn’t breath. Why couldn’t she breathe?

“W-why … can’t … breathe … why? Giles, please … please … not leave …” The pain inside broke free and she screamed out in pain as the room began to blur. She heard her sister shout her name as she sank bonelessly to the floor.

Everything went dark.

_26th August 2002_

Buffy fingered the brass button in her pocket as she knocked softly on the bedroom door.

A tired voice replied, “Come in, Buffy.”

She smiled softly, so like her Giles, always knowing when it’s her. She took a deep breath and opened the door.

He was sitting in Giles’ chair gazing out the window at the garden. Buffy walked over and sank down on the floor next to the chair. She pulled the button out of her pocket and handed it to him. “Here. I thought you might want to take this with you.”

He took the button, not understanding.

Buffy cleared her throat nervously. “He, um, gave it to me not too long ago. He told me the story about the pond and fishing and how you gave him that as a trophy. It meant the world to him and when he gave it to me, I knew I wouldn’t keep it, only keep it safe for him.” She paused before adding hesitantly, “I’ve done that and I think he’d want you to know how much that day of fishing meant and how special you made it for him. So, I’m thinking it’s time it came back to you since it’s got more to the story now.”

He turned it over in his hand and the memory struck him as strongly as if it had just happened yesterday. His shoulders shook with silent grief at the knowledge that his son had kept it for all these years. He was overwhelmed the generosity of his son’s Slayer. He’d never known such a bond. Buffy simply sat quietly by his side, a calming presence. He clutched the button to his chest.

_2nd August 2002_

Giles looked around the destruction of his shop. Why couldn’t demons simply die? Why did they have to destroy everything in the death throes? And why couldn’t they bloody well destroy a different location for a change?

“I think our insurance is gonna drop us.” Anya groused. “This is the fifth time this year and it’s getting harder and harder to convince them it’s vandals again.”

Giles shot her a look and replied sarcastically, “Well, by all means, do tell them it was a Whirliath demon. I’m certain that will make them much happier.”

Anya opened her mouth to retort when Buffy jumped down off the counter. “Now, now, children. If you can’t play nice, I’m gonna send you both to bed without supper.”

Giles graced her with a look that could have killed the average person at ten paces. Naturally she completely ignored it, walked right up to him and pulled him toward the front door as Anya snorted and stormed into the back of the shop.

“You’ve had a long day, Watcherman. Not to mention a nasty bump on the head. So just come along with me. You can’t do anything here now, anyway.”

Giles sighed. It was true. There was little he could do until the insurance adjuster arrived tomorrow. And his head was throbbing. “I suppose you’re right.”

Buffy smirked. “That I am, as always.” She winked at him as she held out her hand. “Keys, please.”

Giles’ look was suddenly wary. “Why?”

Buffy rolled her eyes. “There is no way you are driving right now. So just give in gracefully or we’ll stand here and argue all night.”

Giles grumbled as he fished his keys out of his pocket, thrust them into her hand and stormed out the door.

Buffy whistled softly. “Guess the graceful part was optional,” and followed him out the door to the car.

The drive to his home was quiet and Buffy could feel the anxiety rolling off Giles but didn’t understand it. Sure, she knew he was upset but this was way out of proportion for him. As soon as she stopped the car, he pulled the keys out of the ignition and unhooked his house key from the key chain. Without looking at her he said absently, “Just bring my car back in the morning.”

He was halfway down the path before Buffy could get past the shock and he was in the house before she had enough sense to get out of the damn car.

She stormed after him, upset to find he hadn’t even locked the door behind him.

“Giles! Where are you?” Not getting a reply, she stalked down the hall to the bedroom, flinging the door open. Her eyes flashed as she saw him standing with his back to her, looking out into the night-darkened garden. He was so still, so stiff. Her anger dissolved immediately and morphed into concern. “Giles? What is it?”

His shoulders shook slightly as he sank down into the chair behind him. “I had a call from England.” His voice was so soft Buffy had to strain to hear it. She walked around him and knelt down in front of him, shocked to see how weary he looked suddenly.

She reached out and grasped his hands. “Let me help, Giles.”

His eyes grew bright and he clutched her hands. “Earlier, today, this morning. A colleague of my father’s called. It seems he fell on a dig and was taken to hospital.”

Buffy gasped. “Oh, Giles, is he okay?”

He nodded absently. “He’s fine and returned home with only a broken leg to remind him of the event.”

The Slayer sighed in relief. However, Giles’ grip on her hands had not loosened. “Giles? There’s more. What is it?”

The Watcher smiled at how easily she could read him now. “I’m at a cross-roads, Buffy. I’m beginning to feel my obligations as a son more strongly each day.” He gazed at her fondly. “Yet, I’ve no wish to leave the life I have here. When I think what might have happened—”

Buffy pulled her hands from the painful grip and unclenched his hands. “Giles, family means everything. You do what you have to do.”

His jaw dropped slightly in surprise. “Buffy? Don’t you know? You are just as much family to me as he is. You and Dawn and the others. I don’t want to leave. Just as much as I want to see England again.”

“Oh, Giles,” Buffy said sadly. “What will you do?”

He shrugged. “Nothing for now. It, it was just a taste of reality when I received the call. And a bit of a shock, I’m afraid.”

“Naturally,” she answered. “And whatever you decide to do, I’ll help, if you’ll let me,” she added quietly.

Giles pulled his hands from hers, stood and walked over to the table next to the bed. Buffy watched as he pulled out a small box, opened it, took something out and finally put the box away again.

He walked back over to her, toying with something in his hand. “Buffy, I’ve wanted, that is, for some time I’ve wanted to do this.”

Buffy stood up, not sure where this was leading but willing to follow. “Do what, Giles?”

He reached for her hand and placed a small object in it. She looked down at the familiar brass button and her vision began to blur. Her heart was filled to bursting. “Oh, Giles, I can’t.” She tried to give it back to him. “This means too much.”

Giles smiled affectionately. “So do you.”

_27th August 2002_

“Dr. Giles? Ms. Summers? I’m David Grant, the funeral director. I’m deeply sorry for your loss. Services will begin in thirty minutes and afterwards, we will have him prepared for the journey home.”

Buffy felt a chill crawl up her spine but smiled as Giles’ father shook his hand.

“Would you care for some time alone with him, Dr. Giles?”

He merely nodded and followed as the director led him to the back of the building. He halted at the doorway and looked back at Buffy. “Did you wish to come, Buffy?”

She shook her head and he nodded understandingly. Buffy wanted to give into hysteria. He didn’t understand. Didn’t he know that she’d seen him already? When she’d come to, still on the floor of the waiting room to find Dawn and the doctor hovering over her, it was the first thing she’d asked. And it was an image she’d never forget as long she lived. He’d been so pale, so still, so empty.

She wrapped her arms around herself needing the comfort as the memory tried to overtake her.

She looked at the doorway, feeling sad for a different reason. She’d only known this man for a day and was already missing him. It would be hard to tell him good-bye. He was the final link to Giles and she hated to lose it after just finding it. As she thought it, there he was, looking very worn and terribly vulnerable. Not able to stop herself, Buffy ran up and hugged him, letting the emotions of loss be buffered by sharing them. He pulled back and kissed her cheek tenderly. “We should go. I’ve seen your friends waiting in the other room.”

Buffy nodded and wiped tears away. Still, he made no move to go. “Dr. Giles?”

“Buffy, I’ve done something.” He turned away from her. “Something rather presumptuous.”

Buffy walked until she faced him, concerned but didn’t say anything.

He handed her a packet. As she opened it he explained. “I missed most of my son’s life. Not for lack of care or affection but by missing too many opportunities. I’d tell myself there was time.” He pierced her with a hard gaze. “I never expected his time to run out.”

Buffy’s eyes widened as she saw what was in the envelope.

She clutched the tickets with her, and Dawn’s, names on them, stunned. “I don’t understand.”

He smiled at her confusion, feeling almost human for the first time since he received the news that he thought would have killed him before.

“Last night, I called my agent who contacted a local concern and had the tickets couriered to await me here.”

Buffy was speechless as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the brass button, placed it in her palm and curled her fingers around it.

“I want to show you that pond.”

It was all she could do to nod. They may have lost something irreplaceable but in that loss they gained something new and gave a father a chance to know his son through the eyes of those who loved him.

And somewhere above, green eyes smiled in gratitude.

The End

**Author's Note:**

> Many thanks to Gail and Rari for the great betas.


End file.
